the image of the Most Merciful.” If such sharing does justify this expression, however, then it would be correct to say that Allah created every angel in His image—indeed, every living being in His image. In fact, nothing exists that does not share with Him some remote concomitants, even if only subsisting in itself and bearing attributes. On this assumption, it would therefore be correct to say of every body and substance that Allah created it in His image.

The fourth point: The wording of the hadith is: “When one of you fights or strikes someone, let him avoid the face, for Allah created Adam in His image.” He thus prohibited striking the face because Allah created Adam in His image. If this merely meant that He created him knowing, capable, and so forth, the face would have no particular relevance. Rather, what is meant must be the image that includes the face.

The fifth point: The other hadith states: “Let none of you say, ‘May Allah disfigure your face and the face of anyone whose face resembles yours,’ for Allah created Adam in His image.” He thus prohibited invoking disfigurement upon a face resembling Adam’s face because Allah created Adam in His image. This implies that he prohibited it because the imprecation would extend to Allah, and that he included the human face among what Allah created in His image.

If it is said, “This explicitly states that Allah’s face resembles the human face, just as